Chapter 5
“Noona, how was it? Does it really look the same as in the photos?”
“Drive.”
As soon as they got into the van, Ju-young asked with exaggerated curiosity.
But the road manager, sensing the unusual tone in Sara’s voice, quietly started the engine without making a sound.
She leaned back in her seat and looked out the window.
‘Still, he backed off more cleanly than I thought.’
She had been worried about how to handle it if he clung on pathetically, but thankfully he hadn’t.
His face had actually been quite her type.
Now that the tension had eased and he had vanished from sight, she felt a small pang of regret.
But that regret disappeared quickly when CEO Park immediately pestered her about whether she had enjoyed her dinner.
Sara returned to her daily routine as if she had never met Yoon Seung-tae.
She went through a few scheduled interviews, attended the Night of Wishes GV (Guest Visit), and met with Rockstar’s writer Sung for a meeting.
Two weeks passed, and she flew to Guam for a photo shoot.
The photographer was picky, so the shoot was tough, but somehow it wrapped up smoothly, and she boarded the plane back to Korea.
The very next day was Rockstar’s first script reading.
Because of her hectic schedule, Sara hadn’t slept a wink on the plane and spent the whole time muttering her lines.
“Hey, Sara. Over here. Here.”
Dragging her exhausted body off the plane, she spotted CEO Park standing at the gate with an awkward smile. A cold feeling ran through her.
It was only natural to suspect something was wrong: someone who never even came to sets, let alone came to greet her, had shown up at the airport in person.
As expected, Park Hyun eventually blurted it out.
“Do you think this makes sense? The script reading is tomorrow.”
“Sara, lower your voice. People will hear.”
“What kind of work are you even doing?”
Sara ground her teeth and strode quickly toward the parked van.
The moment the door shut, she unleashed the fury she’d been holding back.
“What did Director Kwak say? What does he mean he’s using Kim Se-yeon instead of me?”
“Writer Sung revised the script, and apparently Kim Se-yeon fits the new image of the lead better…”
“Has Director Kwak lost his mind? The articles must all be out already!”
“Actually… they haven’t. For some reason, when we tried to push the press release, they stopped us, saying it was all top secret.”
“So they really planned this.”
Of course, in early stages of a drama, cast changes weren’t unheard of.
Sometimes an actor stepped down due to schedule clashes, or the production side demanded it because of a scandal.
The problem was, Sara fit neither case.
Already worn out by her packed schedule, the forced news of being dropped from the drama sent her temper through the roof.
Why suddenly Kim Se-yeon?
In terms of popularity or acting skills, there was no comparison.
On top of that, Sara had recently become the first Korean actress to win Best Actress at the Atre Film Festival.
From a publicity standpoint, casting her was the obvious win.
Their excuse about the “lead image” was nonsense, and everyone knew it.
There was only one answer, without even thinking too hard:
Irresistible external pressure.
— Another method? Blocking drama or movie roles, canceling ad deals?
— That could be one way.
Suddenly, her conversation with Yoon Seung-tae two weeks earlier came vividly back to her.
‘So this is revenge. No wonder he backed off so easily.’
She dug through her bag, pulling out her wallet and phone.
Thank God she hadn’t thrown away his business card.
With fury written all over her face, she began dialing.
CEO Park, seated beside her, asked with unease,
“Sara. Who are you calling?”
“Wait and see.”
“Seo, my gut tells me this is bad. Can’t you just not make that call?”
Sara ignored him and hit the call button.
After about five rings, the other side picked up.
[This is Yoon Seung-tae.]
“Feel good, taking revenge like this?”
[Who is this?]
“I never said no, did I? You’re the one who got scared and ran when I said let’s date.”
[Wait—could this be Ms. Seo Sara?]
“Playing with someone’s livelihood is fun for you? Fine, let’s do it then. Beginning, build-up, crisis, climax, conclusion—step by step, right? And now you stab me in the back?”
Her voice grew louder, and CEO Park became more frantic.
[Ms. Seo, I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.]
“Oh, so you’re going to play dumb? I just got off the plane and heard I’m being kicked off my drama. And you’re telling me this is news to you?”
[Dropped from the drama? Ms. Seo, please calm down.]
“Do I look like I can calm down? I just landed, and—”
[I didn’t do it.]
He cut her off.
Sara scoffed and lashed out again.
“You expect me to believe that? The pieces fit too perfectly. If not you, then who else? What director in his right mind would cut me?”
[I don’t have the time to stab in the back a woman who said she’d rather drink poison than meet me.]
His voice was firm.
Sara inhaled deeply.
Now that she’d let it all out, her rage began to ease a little, and her mind opened to other thoughts.
[Are you saying you were forced off the drama you signed on for?]
“…Yes.”
[Let me look into it.]
The call cut off.
Sara stared at her phone for a long time.
Could it really not have been him?
But if not him, then who?
“Sara.”
“…”
“Seo.”
“What.”
“Who were you just talking to? Don’t tell me… It wasn’t who I think it was, right?”
Park’s voice cracked.
Sara pressed her lips together and stared straight ahead.
He seized the chance to snatch the business card off her lap.
Seeing the name on it, his face went deathly pale.
“Are you insane?”
“Be quiet.”
“You crazy—did you just call Executive Director Yoon and say all that? Do you want to destroy us? One word from him, and our company will crumble like nothing!”
Park was frothing at the mouth as he shouted.
Sara didn’t answer.
Her mind was a mess, regret creeping in.
She had been so sure when she dialed, but his resolute voice made her wonder—just maybe—it wasn’t him.
“Damn it. I don’t know.”
Maybe she should have checked before calling.
But when Park told her at the airport, she’d been too furious to think straight.
At home, she sent everyone away, wanting to be alone.
She changed into something comfortable and collapsed onto her bed.
Park’s constant nagging about her fiery temper came back to her.
‘What if it really wasn’t him? Should I call back and apologize? But if not him, then who else could do this?’
Her thoughts tangled into knots.
She wandered around, jogged on the treadmill for five minutes, then lay back down.
Her phone stayed silent.
Clutching it, she drifted off to sleep.
Bzzz—Bzzz—
Sara groped around sleepily. It was obviously Park or Mirae.
So she answered without looking.
“Hello…”
[Were you sleeping?]
“Mm.”
[Wake up, Ms. Seo.]
The unfamiliar form of address jolted her awake.
She shot up in bed and checked the screen.
An unsaved number.
“Mr. Yoon Seung-tae?”
[The drama you’re doing, it’s Rockstar by writer Sung Ji-hee, correct?]
“Ah… yes.”
[You already had the meeting, but they informed you unilaterally that Kim Se-yeon would be the lead instead?]
“That’s right.”
His voice was so calm it unsettled her.
Was it really not him?
[From what I found out, the person who pressured Director Kwak directly was TEW’s drama head, Lee Sang-ho. Following the trail up, it leads to Kang Doo-hyun, executive director of Seongdo Daily. He’s Chairman Yoon Eun-seok’s nephew.]
“…”
[I believe Kang Doo-hyun and Kim Se-yeon are in a relationship. Last month they were spotted entering Carrit Hotel together, but Seongdo covered it up with money.]
